Surface (Guarding Her Book 1)

by Anna Brooks

  “Yeah. Of course.” I put some butter on a muffin while he’s gone, but as soon as he gets back, I ask, “What was that about?”

  “She’s had a stalker problem for a while now, but it’s escalating. He just needed to ask something.”

  Cryptic, but I won’t pry. “That sucks. I hope they’ll be okay.”

  He sighs deeply. “Me too.”

  Chapter 13

  Royce

  “Tara! Over here!

  “Look this way, Tara!”

  “Tara, is it true you and Cade split up?”

  “Did he really cheat on you?”

  “Tara can you tell me anything about Cade?”

  My hand settles on the lower back of the movie star Tara Simmons as I shove through the paparazzi. Her head is down, but mine is up, the sunglasses I’m wearing doing little to shield my eyes from the flashing bulbs.

  “Tara, this way!”

  Someone grabs her arm, and I reach over and shove them away. “Hands off.” I slide my arm over, so I can hold her more. “Almost there,” I say so only she can hear.

  She doesn’t respond.

  “Move.” I push an overly aggressive pap out of the way before I reach for the door of the hotel. As soon as we get inside, two more men flank us to escort us to the elevators. They block anyone else from entering, and there will be two more when we get to her floor. Once Tara and I are inside, and the doors slide closed, she finally looks up.

  “You all right?” I ask her in the mirrored door.

  “Yeah.” She smiles. “I’m good. Thank you.”

  When the doors begin to part, I step out before her and look down the hall both ways before I reach for her. “Let’s go.”

  The waiting security leads the way, and when we arrive at her room, she stays right inside the closed door with them as I do a round. It’s surprising that despite all the security measures, fans still manage to sneak into hotel rooms. So once I’m satisfied nobody else is in here, I walk back to them. “Good. Thanks, guys.”

  “Itinerary says she’s in for the night.”

  I nod in affirmation. “That’s correct. Need you parked outside her door until room service delivers.”

  “Will do. Anything changes, let us know.”

  They leave, and once the door closes, I flick the deadbolt and engage the sliding lock.

  “I know, you idiot. It’s not my fault they found out.” Tara paces around the room on her phone as I sit on the end of the bed and thumb through a room service menu. “It’s not. No. Cade, you’re the one who got caught sleeping with her, not me. Figure it out yourself and stop fucking calling me!” She throws her phone on the bed and grabs her hair. “God, why are men so stupid?”

  I chuckle, and she drops her hands. “No offense.”

  “None taken. Are you hungry?”

  “No. But I am about to raid the mini bar.”

  Lifting the receiver, I raise a brow. “Your choice, but remember you’ve got an early call tomorrow morning.” The kitchen picks up on the receiver, and I order a steak, baked potato, and steamed broccoli for myself and a grilled chicken breast with a side of steamed veggies for Tara just in case.

  “I’m gonna hop in the shower while you drown your sorrows, okay. Don’t leave this room and don’t answer—”

  “The door. I know.”

  I head over to my attached room and grab my backpack that was delivered earlier in the day. After I take a fast shower and change, I head back to her side and find her lying on her stomach on the bed. A couple of empty mini bottles are on the floor, and she’s staring at a blank TV.

  “You all right?”

  She turns her head, her bright blue eyes shining with tears. “Yeah. I just… I know relationships in Hollywood don’t last, but I never realized how heartless people can be. He slept with one of his dancers and pictures leaked, yet he wants my PR to give a statement that we broke up.”

  I shake my head. “Fucked up.”

  “It is. Like, I’m still a person. Just because I’m in a movie doesn’t mean that I don’t have… ya know? Shit still hurts.”

  “I know. He’s a dick. Don’t even worry about him.”

  Her phone rings, and she groans after looking at the name. “Terry,” she says, referring to her publicist. “Hello. I know. Yes. He called me too, but I don’t—” She holds the phone away from her ear and pushes out a breath, then puts her cell back. “No. Look, I know the director doesn’t want the publicity, and I get it. I don’t want it, either, but I didn’t do anything wrong. Why should… I know! I’m not giving him an out. He cheated… so what? Fine. Whatever. Tell them whatever the hell you want because you obviously don’t give a shit what I have to say anyway.”

  Just as she hangs up, there’s a knock on the door. Once I look through the peephole and see it’s room service, I open the door, take the cart from them, and then nod at the security, giving them permission to leave for the night. She bites her lip as I park it by the table, and when I lift a dome to reveal what I got for her, she jumps off the bed. “Thank you!”

  She hugs me, and I pull out a chair for her, then grab my plate and the bottles of water before sitting across from her.

  “Ready to be done with this promotion run?” I chew on a piece of steak while I wait for her to answer.

  “Yes. I’m glad there’s only a week left.” Her phone rings, but she shakes her head. “I’m not taking any more freaking calls tonight. Terry knows where I am, so if she needs me, she can drag her ass over here and knock on the damn door.”

  I suppress a laugh.

  “What are you doing after this? Erik said you were being replaced with Gio tomorrow.”

  “Going back home.” My lips tilt up in a smile that I can’t contain, excited to be back with Paisley.

  “Someone waiting for you?”

  “Why would you ask that?”

  She crosses her arms. “I’ve never seen you smile like that before.”

  “There is a girl, yes.”

  “That’s good. Everyone deserves to be with someone who makes them smile like that.”

  “You’ll find it one day.”

  She rolls her eyes. “Yeah. Sure.”

  We eat the rest of our meals, and then she says she’s going to shower and go to bed. When she stands, she wobbles a little bit. “Whoa.” I steady her with a hand on her bicep. “You good?”

  “Yeah. Those little bottles add up fast, don’t they?”

  “They do.”

  “Good thing I ate something.”

  We head our separate ways, and once I hear Tara out of the shower, I close the connecting door all the way, then sit back in the bed to wait for Gio. I dial Paisley, and the moment she picks up the phone, my dick twitches. Jesus, it’s only been twenty-four hours since I left her, and it feels like it’s been damn near ever.

  “Hey, precious.”

  “Hi.”

  A deep sigh brushes past my lips. “I miss you. God, I hate this.”

  “I know. Me, too. It’s only been a day, and you’re coming back sometime super early in the morning, but still.”

  I love that she feels the same way I do. “I know. How was last night with your parents?”

  “It was good. Erik and I talked. I told him I’ve been in love with you for years, and I’ve never been happier in my life.”

  I don’t think she even realizes what she just said, but I’m so fuckin’ stunned I can’t even talk.

  Luckily, she continues. “He’s really okay with it. I know he seems mad, but the more I talked to him, the less growly he got whenever I mentioned your name. And I know he cares about you, Royce. Before all of this, he always talked about you like you were the son he never had… which would make it like we’re siblings. Ew. Gross.” We both laugh, and she keeps talking. “He’s just protective of me.”

  “I know he is, and I love that you have him to care about you that much. I knew what would happen, but I also knew that he’d come around.”

  She yawns. “
Yeah. And can I say one more thing?”

  “You can say anything you want.”

  “I’m sorry I waited so long to tell him. It’s just… I heard that conversation, and it scared me for you, and—”

  “Babe, it’s fine. Promise.” In her defense, he said some pretty rough shit. I don’t blame her, and I totally understood why she was so hesitant after she told me.

  “Okay.”

  “What are you doing now?”

  “I’m just about ready to go to bed.”

  I stick my hand in my shorts to adjust myself. “What are you wearing to bed?”

  “What?”

  “What are you wearing to bed?”

  She giggles. “Pajamas.”

  “What kind? Are they those little shorts?”

  “They are shorts, but I’m not sure which ones you’re talking about.”

  I close my eyes, remembering what she looked like in them. “They’re blue, light blue, and they ride up so high in the back the bottom of your ass hangs out. You know which ones I’m talking about because while you were wearing them last time, I couldn’t keep my hands off you.”

  Her breathing picks up on the other end, and she finally answers, “Yes. Those are the ones.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yup.”

  “What top do you have on?”

  She hesitates.

  “Paisley.”

  “None.”

  “Why don’t you have anything covering your tits, baby? You better have the curtains closed.”

  “You called when I was getting dressed. And yes, the curtains are closed even though nobody’s around to see anything. Hold on, let me grab a shirt.”

  Before she can set the phone down, I call her name. “You wanna try something?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Get in your bed, Paisley.”

  “What?”

  “Get in your bed and crawl under the covers, baby. I want you to touch yourself, and I want to hear you come.”

  Her sharp intake of air is loud in my ear. I wait for her response.

  “Are you serious?” she whispers.

  “Dead.”

  I wait. And wait. Finally, I hear the sound of a bed squeaking and the rustling of what I assume are her covers. “Okay.”

  “You in bed?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are your nipples hard, Paisley?”

  She swallows, and her breath hitches. “Yes.”

  “Good. Pinch them.”

  “I-I’ve never done that before.”

  A groan passes through my lips. “You’ve never played with your tits?”

  “Not really.”

  “We’ll hold off on that until I get back. I’ll show you how good it can feel.”

  “Okay.”

  “Tell me, Paisley, if I slid my hand between your legs right now, would you be wet?”

  Another gasp from her. “Yes.”

  “You gettin’ wet thinking about touching yourself?”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “I’m wet from thinking about you touching me.”

  I can’t keep my hand off my dick anymore and grab it at the base. “I wish I was there to touch you right now. Want to know what I’d do?”

  “Yes.”

  “After I pulled down those itty-bitty shorts, I’d spread your legs open. Do it, Paisley. Take your shorts off. Spread your thighs like I was there, ready to play with your pretty pussy.”

  Her breath hitches again, and a moment later, she sighs. “Okay.”

  “I want you to take two of your fingers and slide them inside. Get ’em nice and wet. Pull them all the way out, then push back in. Feel how tight you are?”

  “Yes,” she pants.

  “Are you doing it, Paisley? Are you fuckin’ yourself with your fingers?”

  “Yes.”

  “Stop.”

  She whines.

  “Take them out and touch your clit. Rub it nice and soft. Or are you in the mood for hard and fast? Do whatever feels good.” I slide my hand up and down my length, already feeling like I’m about to come just from thinking about it. Knowing now exactly what she feels like and how tight she is and how sweet she tastes is going to be the death of me.

  “Ugh.” She moans.

  “Feel good?”

  Her moan is my answer, and somehow, I manage not to drop my phone. “Are you… are you doing it too?”

  “Fuck, yeah. I’m so close already. I’m stroking myself, wishing it was your hand. Picturing what your fingers look like right now, all wet and slippery. I bet if you slid them back inside right now, you could add another one. Get yourself nice and full.”

  “Oh, God.”

  My fist works faster, and I clench my jaw together while I wait for her. “Do you feel how perfect you are down there? Nice and soft. Hot. So damn tight. I can’t wait until I see you again. Damn, Paisley, I can hear how wet you are.”

  “I’m gonna… oh, God.”

  “You’re gonna come, baby? Come all over your fingers.” I lose control and come all over my stomach while I hear her trying to be quiet as she comes, too.

  “I love you,” she whispers.

  “Love you too, precious.”

  Paisley

  Five months later

  Some days, I have moments when I can’t believe this is my life. I used to think I’d end up homeless or dead because really, what was I going to do with my life when I got kicked out of the system at eighteen. And now, here I stand on the sidewalk of a brand-new house with a baby in my belly and a man at my side.

  Time has flown since I found out I was pregnant. The memories of what’s happened are a blur, but the one thing I’ll never forget is the look on Royce’s face when he heard our baby’s heartbeat for the first time.

  “Holy shit,” he whispered right next to my ear as his hand squeezed mine. “I’ve never heard anything more awesome than that.” He lifted his head to kiss me, and his watery eyes met mine. I’d never seen anything more beautiful than that in my life. And his words were almost as beautiful as the thump-thump echoing in the exam room.

  He gave me much the same look when we saw our little bean on the ultrasound for the first time too. Actually, the second as well. He held it together and was strong for me, but I could tell he was in awe.

  I rub my bump, not believing I’m almost seven months pregnant already. “It’s amazing,” I state staring at our home. Boasting a wraparound porch and two stories, it has a yard with a legitimate white picket fence around it. “It doesn’t feel real.”

  “I know. I still wake up every morning looking at you thinking I’m dreaming.”

  “I love you.”

  “Love you more.” He swipes his thumb over my lip. “Ready?”

  I nod, stupidly excited, and we walk into our home. He swings me into his arms, and I loop mine around his neck. “Gotta do it proper.”

  “You’re such a caveman.”

  “Come on.” He sets me on my feet and grabs my hand. “We need to christen our bedroom. Then the kitchen. And maybe the bathroom, too.”

  We’ve been slowly bringing things over here; well, he and the guys have been, and I’ve been standing around directing traffic. But tonight will be the first night we officially sleep in our new house. Royce wanted this property because of the large backyard, but the house only had the bones, so by the time it was finished, it had taken longer than anticipated. But it’s all good because we’re here now, and I couldn’t be any happier. Nothing can ruin what we have right now. Nothing.

  Chapter 14

  Royce

  I never thought I’d actually enjoy shopping for baby clothes. Or have fun putting a crib together. Or smile so much my fuckin’ jaw hurts. But with Paisley, it was just meant to be. We were meant to be. I knew, I always knew we’d be something. That the sparks between us meant our old souls were just supposed to find the other’s.

  What I didn’t know was that it would be so damn perfect. I’d hoped li
ke hell it would be. It’s been so easy. Just being with her and not having to hide how I feel has made me a better man. And knowing we’ve got a baby coming into this world is indescribable.

  We just got done with another doctor appointment where we heard the baby’s heartbeat again and saw it beating on the screen, which is the most beautiful sound to ever pass through my ears. But now we’re shopping at the baby store a block away from the ice cream parlor. “I’m getting sick of not being able to buy some of this shit because we don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl.” I hold up a little pair of blue sunglasses before putting them back on the shelf. “These would be awesome.”

  She picks up the pink pair that are right next to the blue. “These are adorable. Look how little they are.”

  “They’d probably fit your head.”

  “No way. I’m not that small.”

  I grab the bright pink sunglasses and align them with her face. They barely reach her ears. “Perfect.”

  “Shut up.” She smacks my hand away and looks in the mirror. “Oh my God. They make my face look even fatter than it already is.”

  “You’re not fat.”

  She takes the sunglasses off and puts them back.

  “Seriously, Paisley. Please tell me you don’t think you’re fat.”

  I grab her arm and turn her to me. She only shrugs.

  “You’re pregnant. And even if you weren’t, precious, you’re still the most beautiful woman in the world. It doesn’t matter if you gain some weight or not. Keep it on after the baby, I don’t give a shit. Just don’t change what’s in here.” I press my hand to her heart. “This is what I fell in love with.”

  Her nose scrunches up, and she does a face plant into my chest as her shoulders shake. “Don’t say things… things like that to a pregnant person.”

  I kiss the top of her head and give her a moment to gather herself. “You’re beautiful, Paisley.”

  “Stop.” She cries harder, and I hold her tighter. A couple of women walk by us in the store, and they all give me sympathetic looks. I can’t tell if they feel sorry for me or for her. Paisley hasn’t been that hormonal. She’s been horny as hell and cries at the drop of a hat, but that’s about it. She doesn’t get mad or fly off the handle like some stories I’ve heard about pregnant women.